Application for approval form

For schools wishing to become an approved Oxford International

AQA Examinations centre

We’re delighted that you would like to apply for approval as an Oxford International AQA
Examinations (OxfordAQA) centre. These are the four steps to the approval process:
1. Before applying please ensure that you have read, understand, agree with and are prepared
to abide by the regulations and terms and conditions for becoming an approved centre,
which are outlined in this separate document: General regulations and terms and conditions
for approved centres, which can be found on the exams admin page of our website.

2. Complete this Application for approval form including the BACS remittance detail, which will
be used for future services. Please include photographs of the proposed secure storage
room, secure storage unit and the exam room as part of the application form. Completed
forms and photographs should be submitted electronically to your local Qualification
Consultant or the OxfordAQA Centre Approval Team at
centreapproval@oxfordaqaexams.org.uk

3. Once we have processed your application we will undertake any necessary due
diligence checks for your school.

4. Our colleagues at the British Council will then be in touch to confirm a convenient date
to inspect your school.

This application form is valid for 12 months, if approval is not granted within this timeframe an
applying Centre must complete and resubmit a new application form.

Page 1 of 14
Please email electronically completed or scanned copies to:
centreapproval@oxfordaqaexams.org.uk

Or courier your completed forms to:

Oxford International AQA Centre Approvals
Stage Hill House
Guildford
GU2 7XJ
United Kingdom

If you have any queries regarding this form or the guidance documents please contact:

Your local OxfordAQA Qualification Consultant

Or
The OxfordAQA Centre Approval team on
centreapproval@oxfordaqaexams.org.uk
T: 01483 556379

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 1. Centre details
1.1 Centre number (if known)

1.2 Full name of establishment in

English
1.3 Full name of establishment in
local language
1.4 Centre name for certificates in
English
(if different from above)

1.5 Centre Address

Centre Telephone number(s)

1.6
(including country code)
Centre Website

Email address

Please provide your official centre email address. The email address must include a domain name
specific to your Centre, eg officialaddress@centrename.org. Personal email and service
addresses such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. are not acceptable.
Name of head of Centre
1.7
(including title and initials)
Email address of head of Centre

1.8 Name of examinations officer

(including title and initials)
Email address of
examinations office/officer
On confirmation of your approval the email address provided will be used to generate account details
for OxfordAQA’s IT systems.
Please include the name and position of two directors or the two most senior staff members in your
1.9
organization

Name in full Company position

1.10 Please indicate how you intend to work with OxfordAQA:

a) Direct relationship with OxfordAQA

b) Operating as an attached school under the British Council

If you intend to work directly with OxfordAQA please complete all remaining sections of this
application. If you will be operating as an attached school please do not complete sections 5,
6 and 7.
Page 3 of 14
 Please indicate whether your centre is approved to offer qualifications with any of the following awarding
1.11
bodies:

Cambridge International
Pearson Edexcel British Council IELTS
Examinations

Other (please specify)

Please indicate whether your centre has had, or plans to have, relationships with any of the following
1.12
governmental bodies:

Yes No Comments/additional
information

National or Regional Education Authority

The British Council

National Ministry of Education

2. Company Details

Is the Centre owned by another company/entity? Yes No

2.1

If ‘yes’, please include the full name and address of holding/owning company.
If the Centre is not wholly owned by one entity or individual please provide the % shareholding for all individuals or
entities with a shareholding.

Is the Centre, or the entity that owns the Centre, part or fully funded by a Yes No
2.2
donor or agent (eg a regional or national government agency)?

If ‘yes; please provide the name and address and detail who/what is the donor or agent (eg a regional or
national government agency):

2.3 Registered company number

Page 4 of 14
3. Students

3.1 Please provide the total number of students enrolled at your centre.

3.2 Please provide the age range of students enrolled at your centre.

4. Entries
4.1 Please indicate the anticipated first year of entries:

4.2 Please indicate the OxfordAQA entries which you anticipate making by completing the table below:

GCSE AS A-level

Subject Year of Estimated Year of Estimated Year of Estimated

first number of first number of first number of
teaching students teaching students teaching students

English language

English literature

English as a second language

Mathematics

Further mathematics

Physics

Chemistry

Biology

Combined science

Business

Geography

Computer science

Psychology

Economics
(first available for entries in Summer
2021)

Independent Project Qualification (IPQ)

Yes No
4.3 Do you plan to offer GCSE Plus with any of your GCSEs?

Page 5 of 14
5. Receipt of examination material at the Centre

Yes No

5.1 Is there clear signage outside your main building?

Please give details of the staff responsible for receiving examination material at your centre.
5.2

5.3 Do you have process for: Yes No

The secure receipt of confidential materials?

Please give details below:

Recording the receipt, number, condition and dispatch of confidential

materials?
Please give details below:

Page 6 of 14
6. Facilities for storage of confidential materials

Please give full details of the security arrangements that you have in place for the storage of all
question papers/confidential exam materials. The requirements for these are outlined in Appendix 6
of the accompanying General regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres document.
The details provided will be validated on inspection.

Secure storage room – Please provide photos alongside the application form

Yes No Comments/additional information

Is the secure storage room in a permanent

6.1
building?
Is the building alarmed, or does it have a
6.2
24 hour security presence?

6.3 On which floor is the secure room? Basement Ground Upper

6.4 Is this room solely dedicated to exams?

6.5 Is this room the exams office?

or
Is it accessed through the exams office?

Does this room have solid walls of brick or

6.6
concrete?
and/or
Does this room have reinforced walls?

6.7 Does this room have windows?

If so, are they internal, external or both?

Internal External Both
(select one)

6.8 Are all the windows barred?

6.9 Are the windows covered by an alarm?

6.10 Does the room have a solid or reinforced door?

Does the door have heavy duty (eg metal)

6.11
hinges?
Does the door have a security lock, ie a
6.12
five-lever mortice lock or a keypad?

6.13 How many key holders are there for this room?

Is this room shared with staff that are not part of

6.14
the exams office?
Do pupils have unsupervised access to this
6.15
room?

Page 7 of 14
Secure storage unit - Please provide photos alongside the application form

Yes No Comments/additional information

6.16 Is the unit:

a safe?

a high security cabinet with multi-point

locking system (capable of withstanding
prolonged attack)?

a metal cabinet?

If yes, does the cabinet have a locking bar?

shelving with security screen/roller shutter?

If none of the above, please provide details of the storage unit

Is the unit non-portable or firmly bolted to the

6.17
floor?

6.18 How many key holders are there for this unit?

6.19 Is the storage unit solely dedicated to exams?

Page 8 of 14
7. Examination room accommodation - Please provide photos alongside
the application form

Please give full details of the exam accommodation currently in place at your centre. The
requirements for these are outlined in Appendix 4: Exam accommodation guidance of the General
regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres document.

Yes No Comments/additional information

7.1 Are the exam rooms within the main school site?

Are the exam rooms within the main school

7.2
building?
Is the exam room environment satisfactory, in that it does not inhibit students’ ability perform in
7.3
examinations, with regard to:
a) size (in relation to the expected numbers of
students)?

b) lighting?

c) ventilation/air-conditioning/heating?

d) external noise?

e) provision of a clock?

Can each student be accommodated at an

individual desk, with at least 1.25 metres
7.4
between the centres of adjacent candidates’
chairs?
Please confirm that all exams will be held at the
7.5
centre and not at other locations

7.6 Do you have process for: Yes No

Appointment of invigilators?
Please give details below:

The training of invigilators?

Please give details below:

7.7 Verifying the identity of candidates?

Please give details below:

The seating of candidates in the exam room and for making a record of seating?
Please give details below:

7.8 The delivery of question papers and other material to the exam room?
Please give details below:

Page 9 of 14
 7.9 Do you have process for: Yes No

Arrangements for the dispatch of worked scripts?

Please give details below:

7.10 Do the following staff members who are responsible for OxfordAQA Yes No
examinations administration have a high level of English Language
proficiency?
Head of Centre
Examinations Officer
Subject Teachers

7.11 Are you familiar with the application process and implementation of: Yes No

Access Arrangements?

Special Consideration?

Modified Enlarged or Braille Question Papers?

Further information can be found in Appendix 3 and Appendix 5 of General regulations and terms and
conditions for approved centers. Alternatively, please visit the Access arrangements and special consideration
section on the Exams Administration page of the OxfordAQA website:
https://www.oxfordaqaexams.org.uk/exams-administration

Page 10 of 14
8. BACS remittance detail

This section should be completed by all Centres’ who will be making future payments to
Oxford International AQA Examinations by BACS (money transferred from your bank direct to
ours). Please note this is not a direct debit and payments should be sent by you through your
bank.
The information you provide below will help us to track your payment only.

Name of Centre

Name of payee
(if different from Centre name)

Name of Centre’s bank

Bank address

Sort code

Account number

IBAN

BIC / Swift Code

To help us keep your account up to date, we must insist on either an email: oxfordaqa@aqa.org.uk
confirming the amount and which invoices/credits you are settling or alternatively send a remittance
advice to: Oxford International AQA Examinations, Finance (Accounts Receivable),
Stag Hill House, Guildford, GU2 7XJ

All payments should be made in British pound sterling. All transaction fees must be paid by the
Centre.

Page 11 of 14
9. Approval process

As a part of the approval process, on receipt of this application a compliance due diligence will be
undertaken and a physical inspection of the centre will be arranged. This inspection will be carried
out by an appointed inspector who will look to verify the information provided to us in this application.

We must be satisfied that centres are able to fully administer OxfordAQA’s examinations properly
and meet the requirements of the terms and conditions set out in section 6 of the accompanying
document: General regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres. By submitting this
application, you accept and agree to abide by the terms and conditions should your centre be
accepted as an OxfordAQA centre. This application form will comprise the agreement between your
centre and OxfordAQA should your application be accepted.

Once your centre has been inspected, we will contact you to give you written confirmation of whether
or not your centre has been accepted for registration as an OxfordAQA centre.
If your application is accepted, this agreement shall become legally binding. OxfordAQA’s decision
on whether or not to accept your centre is made in its sole discretion and is final.

We charge an annual administration fee for all centres.

10. OxfordAQA declarations

All questions must be answered before returning this form.

Business partner code of conduct

OxfordAQA complies with both UK anti-bribery and local corruption legislation. As a consequence
of this, it is necessary for us to ask the following questions.

Yes No

I confirm that there are no circumstances in my organization’s dealing with OxfordAQA

10.1 that may give rise to any conflicts of interest, or potential conflicts of interest, with
OxfordAQA or any of its staff, as outlined in section 2 (Code of conduct) of the General
regulations for approved centres document?
If “No” please describe the conflict(s) of interest below or attach a separate page.

10.2 Does your organisation have a code of conduct for employees to follow?
If the answer is “yes”, please provide a copy.

10.3 Does your organisation’s code of conduct include:

1. Guidance around facilitation payments (defined as a payment made to a public

official to expedite or secure approval of some type of business transaction or
activity).

2. Guidance around gifts, entertainment and hospitality?

3. Staff training on your organisation’s code of conduct?

4. Procedures for reporting potential ethical breaches in your organisation’s code of

conduct?
Please provide any additional information on 1-4 above as relevant.

Does your organisation work with any intermediaries in your activities related to
10.4
OxfordAQA Exams?

In the last five years has your organisation or your organisation’s holding company
10.5
been investigated on ethical practices in relation to bribery and corruption?
In the last five years has your organisation or your organisation’s holding company
10.6
been subject to examination malpractice investigations by an international awarding
body?

Do you have and implement an appropriate Child Safeguarding policy compliant with
10.7
local Child Safety Laws?
If the answer is “yes”, please provide a copy.
OxfordAQA general regulations terms and conditions

I agree

I understand, agree with and will abide by the Code of conduct, as outlined in
10.8
2.16 – 2.19 in the General regulations for approved centres document.
I agree to promptly report any instance of unethical behaviour at my organisation that I
10.9
am aware of to OxfordAQA.
10.10 I confirm that I have read the regulations as set out in sections 1 – 5 of the General
regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres document, and agree to
administer our examinations in accordance with them.
I confirm that I agree to the General terms and conditions in section 6 of the General
10.11
regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres document.
I confirm that I will abide by the guidance on using the OxfordAQA badge in the centre’s
10.12
signage and marketing activities as outlined in section 2 (Use of the OxfordAQA badge) of
the General regulations and terms and conditions for approved centres document.

10.13 I confirm that I understand and agree with the pricing procedures of OxfordAQA as
outlined in Appendix 2 (OxfordAQA’s Invoicing Policy) of the General regulations and
terms and conditions for approved centres document.
I understand that approval with OxfordAQA permits our centre to administer
10.14
OxfordAQA’s qualifications
(Approval to offer AQA qualifications requires separate approval from AQA directly.)
I confirm that I am authorised to make this application to be registered as an examining
10.15
centre with OxfordAQA.
To the best of my knowledge, all information I have provided in this application is correct
10.16
and complete.
I understand that failing to comply with these regulations may result in candidates not
10.17
being awarded qualifications from OxfordAQA.

10.18 I agree to cooperate fully with OxfordAQA’s appointed inspectors.

I understand that OxfordAQA reserves the right to contact other UK awarding bodies with
10.19
which the applicant is currently approved or has been approved in the last five years.

Our Privacy Policy (oxfordaqaexams.org.uk/privacy-policy) sets out how we handle your personal
information, including sharing it with Oxford University Press and AQA, and your rights to object to your
personal information being used for marketing to you or being processed as part of our business
activities.

We will only use your personal information for providing you with this service.

Signature

Signed by [name of Head/Principal]

For and on behalf of [name of establishment]

Date d d m m y y